Summary:

The arrest of opposition leaders Seifeddine Makhlouf and Ali Larayedh continued to prompt outcry from the Ennahdha and Al-Karama parties this week as well as international media. Makhlouf, a leader in the Al-Karama Party was arrested on 21 January at his home on charges related to insulting police during a confrontation in March 2021. Former senior government official and Ennahdha leader Ali Larayedh remains imprisoned in connection with charges that he was involved in facilitating the travel of foreign fighters to Syria in the post-revolution period.

Outlook:  

The arrest of opposition figures continues to draw significant media attention in the current context of President Kais Saied’s controversial process of political reform. However, the arrests have failed to result in significant outcry or mobilization among Tunisians, many of whom view the political parties as complicit in the economic and political crises the country faces. 

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